There is no rule that requires people to *not* comment on a posted link or item.

I was shocked that this needed to be stated, until I heard one of the DJs on the radio this morning complaining about "serial commenters" who comment on every status update. Really? You posted something in public and are upset to be getting attention for it?!

Great thread. But wondering why my college-age nieces and nephew never at all interact with me on Facebook. I don't care if I see pictures of them partying at college. Just say "hi" once or twice a year. I'm on their Friends list. I am 53. Is it just the way things work re: young, old people on Facebook?Thinking about cutting them out of my will if they're like this for another 10 years. Half-kidding.

Great thread. But wondering why my college-age nieces and nephew never at all interact with me on Facebook. I don't care if I see pictures of them partying at college. Just say "hi" once or twice a year. I'm on their Friends list. I am 53. Is it just the way things work re: young, old people on Facebook?Thinking about cutting them out of my will if they're like this for another 10 years. Half-kidding.

Honestly? It's possible. I feel more comfortable interacting with some of my adult (read: parent-aged) "friends" on Facebook than with others. So I comment more on those than I do the pages of those I'm less comfortable with. They may enjoy being able to see what you're up to and to have the option to contact you without feeling obligated to do so. Or they may have felt obligated to friend you (although most likely not if they sent you the friend request).

Thanks for your reply. I quit commenting on their pages long ago because they don't comment on mine. They're warm enough to me in person, though. They live out-of-state; we don't e-mail or call....so I thought pushing a few buttons on the keyboard would be easy for them. My brother, family, etc. are close & we have very good relationships...but I find this (Facebook interactions or none-thereof) disappointing.

They might also just not be the sort of people to comment on Facebook. I rarely comment on people's photos unless I'm actually in them, for instance. I don't have any family on there except a couple of cousins, though.

On the topic of people who comment on every single status update--I think I'd find that a little weird, though not necessarily annoying. My status updates usually get less than three comments, unless it turns into a discussion, and lots of them don't get comments (this is true of most of my friends' status updates too). So it would be very noticeable if one person commented on every single update I posted. I would probably just wonder if they were bored, though, and if they did this with everyone on their friends list!

Oh, I thought of another Facebook etiquette. Don't jump in to defend one of your friends on their status updates or wall if you don't know the full story. They might just be having an inside joke with a friend of theirs. Especially if you don't know the other person.

They might also just not be the sort of people to comment on Facebook.

Exactly. There are all kinds of different styles of Facebook use - I personally am quieter on Facebook than most of my Facebook friends. And really, I think when someone posts a status update, they are communicating with everyone on their list, albeit in a fairly impersonal way, comments are an extra layer of interaction on top of that. Perhaps, Aloe, your nieces and nephews see it that way - that they are already are keeping you updated on their lives, and able to keep up with yours.

I've also noticed that dynamics can be different there, the people I talk to most Facebook are not necessarily the people who are most important to me. And I see plenty of status updates where, although I really care about the person and like to know what's going on with them, there's just really not anything to say.

If they're warm to you in person, then I'd say that this is a case where it's in everyone's best interests to assume no offence, unless there's another reason to think that offence might be intended

Is it rude to not join Facebook if a non-participating person gets 2 invitations?

No. I got three before I joined-for a long time I really wasn't interested. I finally threw in the towel and joined after I got the third one-although I don't regret it.

Brother sent me a reminder this week that he had invited me to join FB. I'm still on-the-fence about it. I'll be giving him a call tomorrow (he will be 52 on Tuesday, and he will remind me that I am still older than he is. )

I would like to revive this topic because things have changed in the three years since the last post. I feel like I am always breaking some unwritten etiquette rule on FB, especially among frequent FBers.

I would just like to say I HATE (And find RUDE) the people who request you post something on your status for a day or whatever to prove you are a true patriot, Member of certain religion, care about X cause or whatever. "And if you don't, well, we will know what kind of person you are...." implied.

My niece, who is in a LTR and lives several states away, posted the other day that she had tickets to the bridal expo, and no one to go with. My sister posted "I wish I could go with you " and a few friends said the same. I posted "Are you getting married?" Niece has never responded, though she's posted other things since. Was I rude to ask?

Someone posted my picture from junior high school on my Timeline. Although some FB friends made innocent comments on it, I was NOT happy about the picture, and took it down immediately. Do I owe them an apology?

My niece, who is in a LTR and lives several states away, posted the other day that she had tickets to the bridal expo, and no one to go with. My sister posted "I wish I could go with you " and a few friends said the same. I posted "Are you getting married?" Niece has never responded, though she's posted other things since. Was I rude to ask?

Someone posted my picture from junior high school on my Timeline. Although some FB friends made innocent comments on it, I was NOT happy about the picture, and took it down immediately. Do I owe them an apology?

In the first situation: I don't think you were rude in asking. It was a perfectly relevant question given that she posted about going to a bridal expo.

In the second situation: No, you don't owe them an apology. Your wall is yours.

Thanks for your reply. I quit commenting on their pages long ago because they don't comment on mine. They're warm enough to me in person, though. They live out-of-state; we don't e-mail or call....so I thought pushing a few buttons on the keyboard would be easy for them. My brother, family, etc. are close & we have very good relationships...but I find this (Facebook interactions or none-thereof) disappointing.

I have found the way people use FB to be weird and well nigh incomprehensible at times.

People who are pleasant and strive to get along with others IRL are polemical and aggressive in their FB postings.People who are gregarious and talkative in person rarely make a comment, even when one is actively solicited and would require about 10 seconds.People who I have not been close to in DECADES will constantly "talk" to me on FB.People who sent me a friend request and then their spouse "talks" to me instead.

It seems -- to me -- that the way people behave on FB has so little to do with how they behave IRL. So it's weird to me and I'm not so sure I like it.